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Contributors

Jerry Dodrill: Senior Contributing Photographer

It was clear early on that Jerry Dodrill was not cut out for a desk job. His career as an adventure and landscape photographer has fostered a lifestyle that the average person might call unconventional. An avid climber of twenty years, he feels equally at home in a rocky bivouac or a soft bed. In college he dropped pre-med classes in favor of fine art and spent weekends scaling Yosemite’s granite walls. Photography was at first a by-product of many adventures, but quickly became a goal of its own as he captured each experience with a concise aesthetic and spiritual light quality that reveals a sense of inspiration and captures the imagination. Jerry’s adventures have led around the globe. He has climbed all the major walls in Yosemite Valley, at crags across the West, close to a hundred summits in the Sierra, and peaks in Bolivia, Argentinaand China. Full embrace of the many disciplines of climbing have led to many adventures and tales best told late at night around a raging campfire. In 1997 Jerry achieved degrees in both fine art and photography at Pacific Union College (Napa Valley) then worked under acclaimed photographer Galen Rowell in Berkeley. Jerry’s dedication has not gone unnoticed. He has won several international awards and has been exhibited in fine galleries such as the Ansel Adams, Mountain Light and Banff Center for Mountain Culture. His clients include The North Face, Vanity Fair, Sunset, Men’s Journal, Outside, Alpinist, Rock & Ice, and Climbing magazines. His work has been featured in many ad campaigns, books, and publications and is represented by Aurora Photos. After running a gallery on California’s North Coast for the past five years, he now resides in theSonomaCounty town of Sebastopol, California.

Jim Thornburg: Senior Contributing Photographer

Jim Thornburg has spent the majority of his life climbing rocks and photographing people climbing rocks. He hasn’t done much else… it’s a little sad. Yet this lifestyle has lead Jim to become a world renowned climbing photographer and writer. His images have graced countless covers of international climbing magazines including Rock & Ice, Climbing Magazine and Grimper. He’s published cover shots for photo-annual issues in both Climbing Magazine and Rock & Ice. Jim has also published numerous climbing images for high-end advertisement. Some of his clients include: Prana, Mountain Gear, Patagonia and Black Diamond. In addition to magazine work, Thornburg has also published climbing guidebooks and coffee table books. His most recent coffee table book Stone Mountains; North America’s Best Crags is steadily gaining recognition for its wonderfully scenic and engaging climbing photography.

Fitz Cahall: Senior Contributing Editor

The world is filled with stories. They come from friends during big wall belays, around campfires and on long drives across empty deserts. After years of seeing his favorite stories being passed over by traditional print media, Fitz turned to the Internet and created The Dirtbag Diaries an outdoor/lifestyle podcast that has gained thousands of devoted fans. Amidst the tangled cords on the office floor and learning new software, Fitz tapped into the passionate community of online storytellers. As The Diaries grew, so did his vision for the possibilities of new media. Alongside his equally talented and creative wife Becca Cahall; Fitz then began Duct Tape Then Beer – an umbrella company for their growing creative ventures, which include video series, marketing projects, expedition coverage, social media support, and blogging. Fitz is also known for spectacular video series The Season: a web television show that follows relatively unknown yet extraordinary athletes on their quest for summit dreams, fresh powder and mountain biking terrain. Fitz’s writing and photography can be found in ClimbingMagazine and Rock & Ice. California Climber is pleased to introduce Fitz Cahall as one of our senior contributing editors.

James Lucas: Senior Contributing Editor

“I was Frankenstein’s Monster, confused, alone, and sewn back together wrong. I tore the IV out of my arms. I did not want to be there. What did the doctors do to me? Why was I there? I wanted to get out of bed, pull on my jeans and crawl to the base of El Cap. My identical twin brother held me down and a nurse sedated me.” James Lucas climbs more than anyone I know. Living out of his station wagon for nearly his entire adult life, James has traveled theUnited Statesin search of climbing adventures. James Lucas is a dirtbag, but he is also one of the most imaginative storytellers inAmerica. His style of writing is uncanny, uniquely descriptive and filled with grand adventure. Lucas manages a blog for Touchstone Climbing Gyms and his freelance writing is regularly published in Rock & Ice and AlpinistMagazines.

Anthony Lapomardo

Anthony is originally from California’s Central Valley, although these days it’s a little harder to pin him down. After picking up a camera in 2008, Anthony has traveled the United States searching for unique and exciting climbing areas to document. Anthony is a regular editorial and photography contributor to Deadpoint Magazine and his work has been published in various media including numerous spreads in Mad Rock’s 2012 equipment catalog. Anthony is also an accomplished filmmaker, with regular contributions to Deadpoint Magazine’s The Stash subscription video section. California Climber is pleased to have Anthony as a senior contributing photographer and editorial contributor.

John Vallejo

John Vallejo is a California-based photographer focused on action and the outdoor environment. His interest in photography grew as a natural extension to his experience as a climber. As an avid outdoor athlete and photographer, he hopes to bring positive attention to athletes pushing their limits, the amazing areas in which they perform, and the companies helping them progress.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alton Richardson: Art Director

From capturing images and video to editing and design work, Alton never compromises. When the layout hits the printer, his microscopic attention to detail and his unwavering art selections make his design work some of the best in the business. Alton is currently a student of photography at Las Positas College. His images can be found in Climbing Magazine, Urban Climber, Alpinist and Gripped.

Nicholas Miley: Departments Editor

Nicholas Miley is a freelance writer based out of South Lake Tahoe. Nick spends most of his time traveling the state, climbing, fishing, hiking and writing about his experiences. He is currently an outdoor adventure columnist for the Tahoe Tribune and regular contributor to California’s Adventure Sports Journal. Nick’s incredible relation to the climbing community coupled with his imaginative and acute writing style make him the perfect departments editor. From wacky beer reviews to creative climbing lifestyle tips, Nick brings real-world functionality to fun, easy to read, informative articles.

Dean Fleming: Publisher / Editor in Chief

Born and raised in the small town of SonoraCalifornia, Dean Fleming began rock climbing at the early age of 12. After high school, Dean followed his lifelong dream of becoming a rock climbing guide by quickly gaining Wilderness First Responder training and certification by The American Mountain Guides Association. These days Dean spends his time sharing his love of rock climbing by taking pictures and writing about the areas he enjoys. Dean is a regular contributor to Climbing Magazine, Urban Climber, California’s Adventure Sports Journal, The Dirtbag Diaries and Central Sierra Seasons Magazine. Dean also writes a weekly outdoor column for the Sierra Lodestar, and is pleased to release California Climber: California’s first climbing specific, high quality, totally FREE climbing magazine.